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June 23, 2008

Governor waiting for Senate leaders to transmit budget

PROVIDENCE -- For those wondering why Governor Carcieri has not yet signed the new $6.9 billion state budget, this is the answer: He can’t, because as of late this morning, he still didn't have it.

The bill cleared its last legislative hurdle on Thursday, but Senate Democratic leaders have not yet “transmitted’’ the bill.

The fiscal year does not end until June 30, so the delay has not yet caused any financial problems.

Lawmakers adopted most of Carcieri's cost-saving proposals, including $67 million in Medicare “reforms’’ and $90 million in personnel savings that have yet to be fleshed out. The new budget preserves the income tax cuts lawmakers promised the state’s wealthiest taxpayers in a rosier year, while cutting hundreds of people from the state’s health and welfare rolls, and millions of dollars from the state colleges and university and a tuition scholarship program.

Said Carcieri last week: “This budget represents a watershed moment in the recent history of Rhode Island state government. In the face of a severe fiscal crisis, we have worked together to reduce spending and balance the budget without raising taxes. In particular, the House of Representatives has approved most of the spending reduction plans I and the House Republicans proposed earlier this year. As a result, it’s a huge win for Rhode Island taxpayers.”

-- Katherine Gregg, Journal State House Bureau

Posted by maria caporizzo  at 1:26 PM | Permalink

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Charles Taylor | June 24, 2008 5:15 AM link

Hickok | June 24, 2008 8:15 AM link

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